FAQs

Who pays for PACE services?

Valir receives payment through Medicare, Medicaid and private pay. Your responsibility depends on your individual financial situation. Persons who are both Medicare and Medicaid eligible will not have a monthly obligation. Those with Medicare only will be responsible for the Medicaid portion and those not eligible for either may pay private pay for the full amount. If Long Term Care is necessary, the member will be required to share in the cost. The amount due by the member will be determined by OKDHS.

What happens to my traditional Medicare/Medicaid coverage when I join Valir PACE?

Participants with Medicare and/or Medicaid do not lose their coverage, but authorize Valir PACE benefit administration. This means you maintain Medicare and/or Medicaid benefits, gaining additional Valir PACE benefits.

How can Valir PACE help me remain active in my community?

At Valir PACE we take both a holistic and a wellness approach to your health, living by the philosophy that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Prevention comes in the form of nutritious meals, medication management, regular checkups, and preventative therapies to keep the body and mind strong.

How would I get to Valir PACE and what would I do there?

Transportation is provided by Valir PACE. One of our wheelchair accessible vehicles will pick you up at home and bring you into the adult day center for the day. Depending on your personal needs, you may be seen by the clinic nurses, physicians and therapists. We will serve two hot meals a day, you will have the opportunity to participate in engaging activities with other participants, or you can enjoy quiet time in the garden or library.

How do I join?

Call us at (405) 609-3688 and speak to our intake staff, who will arrange a personal visit with you in your home or in the PACE center to explain the program in more detail. We will arrange through DHS an assessment which will determine your physical and financial eligibility. If you decide you would like to join, Valir PACE will then invite you to the center to meet the caregivers and staff that will assist you in outlining your personal plan of care.

What if I after I join, I decide PACE isn’t for me?

If after you join Valir PACE you decide the program isn’t a good fit for you, you just tell us and we will get you removed from the program and returned to traditional Medicare/Medicaid benefits. We’ll even make referrals to community care givers if you like and transfer your records over to your new caregivers.

How is Hospice Home Care Delivered?

Hospice home care in is delivered through an interdisciplinary team of dedicated hospice professionals. Supervised by a hospice physician, this team develops an individualized care plan for each patient and makes regular visits to assess the patient’s condition, providing other services as needed.

Most hospice patients receive care in their own homes or in the home of a loved ones. Hospice home care may also be delivered to patients who live in nursing homes, hospitals, assisted-living facilities and independent-living facilities. Typically, one family member serves as the primary caregiver and, when appropriate, helps make decisions for the patient. Valir Hospice provides care and support for both the patient and family.

When Is The Right Time To Ask About Hospice?

Now is the right time to learn more about hospice home care in Oklahoma. Although end-of-life care may be difficult to discuss, knowing our loved ones’ wishes can greatly ease their transition into this stage of life.

The staff at Valir Hospice is happy to provide patients and their families with the information necessary to make educated decisions. Please call us at (405) 609-3636.

How Does One Begin Receiving Hospice Home Care?

Anyone can inquire about hospice services. Simply call Valir Hospice at (405) 609-3636

Once notified, our staff will contact the patient’s personal physician to determine if hospice care is appropriate.

How does one decide whether to enter into a hospice program? 

Once a patient receives a life-limiting diagnosis from a physician, it becomes necessary to discuss all potential care options, including hospice. Ultimately, the decision is the patient’s to make. Before making a decision about a particular hospice, we encourage the patient to visit with a hospice representative along with his or her family and physician.

Can a patient’s personal physician remain as the primary doctor during hospice home care?

Yes. A patient’s primary care physician works with the hospice physician to maximize care and comfort for the patient.

Is hospice only for patients with cancer?

No. Hospice is appropriate for individuals with any life-limiting illness when the primary goal of care is to maintain comfort and manage symptoms.

Who pays for hospice services?

Hospice is a benefit covered by Medicare and most private insurance plans. For the hospice patient, Medicare covers all services and supplies related to the patient’s terminal illness. 

Can a person in hospice home care be hospitalized?

The staff at Valir Hospice is experienced in managing the complications and symptoms that would normally require hospitalization. However, if hospitalization is necessary for the management of symptoms, it can be arranged without discontinuing hospice services.

How does hospice work to keep the patient comfortable?

Valir Hospice uses a variety of medical and non-medical approaches to pain management. 

Our team of specially trained hospice professionals has developed special methods to measure a patient’s comfort level, and helping us to alleviate physical, emotional and spiritual pain, as needed.

Does hospice provide around-the-clock nursing?

Valir Hospice provides access, 24 hours a day, to a nurse and social worker who can provide information, support and problem solving either over the phone or via a home visit. 

Valir Hospice offers a unique program called Extended Care, which allows for someone to be with a patient around the clock, when it seems their end-of-life is approaching. Give us a call to learn more about Extended Care.

Does hospice accelerate the process of dying?

No. Hospice neither hastens nor postpones death. Instead, it provides end-of-life care, support and guidance for the patient and family.

Once a patient has been admitted to hospice, can hospice services be stopped?

Yes. If the patient’s condition improves or the disease goes into remission, the patient can be discharged from hospice home care and resume his or her normal life. 

A patient may also stop hospice services to seek aggressive therapy or treatment for the illness. Medicare allows additional coverage in the event the patient should later need to return to hospice home care.

What if a person goes into hospice and lives beyond his/her six-month prognosis?

The hospice physician simply certifies that the patient’s terminal illness is still present and the patient then continues receiving hospice home care.

What options are available for grief support/counseling?

Every patient admitted to Valir Hospice is assigned a chaplain and social worker who are well-versed in counseling. The chaplain and social workers are based on the patient and their family’s individual needs. Our Bereavement Coordinator will also follow the family for 13 months or longer, if needed, and hosts a number of support groups.

What does hospice do for families after the patient’s death?

Valir Hospice provides continuing contact and support to family and friends for at least 13 months following the patient’s death. 

We also sponsor bereavement and support groups for anyone in the community who has experienced the death of a family member, friend or loved one.

Is Hospice Affiliated with any Religious Organizations?

Hospice home care is not affiliated with any specific religion. While some religious organizations offer hospice services, Valir Hospice serves a broad community and does not require patients to adhere to any particular faith, religion or spiritual beliefs.

What is Hospice?

Hospice is not a place but a concept. Its goal is to neither hasten nor postpone death, but to offer compassionate care to those patients for whom curative measures are no longer an option. Hospice provides terminally ill patients and their families with customized medical care and pain management, as well as emotional and spiritual support.

At Valir Hospice in Oklahoma, our team is committed to the belief that each of us has the right to die free of pain and with dignity. To help make this possible, we extend our support not only to the patient but to their family and loved ones. We educate both the patient and their family about the diagnosis and what to expect as it progresses — helping ease the anxiety associated with what’s to come. This education and support, and the individualized plan of care are central to the Valir Hospice mission.